Trip #154 (4): Rough Riders Tour: CO, WY & Dakotas (still trying to escape the heat)
September 7 – 24, 2026
Santa Fe still daily blazing at 90, enough already!!!! Diesel WAY UP $5.69 gal. WTF. Got to Leadville about 3pm. CG on Turquoise Lake #36 but bathroom STINKS so moved to better spot down the road. Flatter too. Host has 2 big cats running around, one friendly one not.
Thursday, September 10
Cleaning house before we move on north. What can I say about Encampment except if you want to hear the sound of blowers lawn mowers and tractors and nothing else, this is the place to be. The coach next-door has the cutest little puppy I worried about it all morning cause I thought the woman went to work every day but I see she's here now so I can relax. I was gonna crawl through the window and play with it. Another day of 4 - 5 hours driving, from Encampment, 130 to Saratoga (what's with all the private jets at that tiny airport?), to Rawlins, 287 on west of Muddy Gap, thru Jeffrey City, the rest stop at Sweetwater Station (Oregon Trail rut area, but not for us today unless that is what I saw in the distance), and up 135 to Riverton, then on up more on 789 to the north end of Boysen Reservoir. Looks a lot like Page AZ here: barren with a large lake, but this one has plenty of water. Went to one of the cg's we've been to before, tho I had no memory until I saw it -- oh yes, the green park with the big trees and green grass. They say they water every day May - Sept. On the warm side (78º) when we arrived about 3-ish, changed into shorts and sat out in the shade of the big tree of the handicap spot we snagged for one night, #69. Camp less than half full and so quiet. This is the CG that also had about 3 cabins to rent and looked empty, no cars, so we walked up to peek in the window... is that cleaning supplies? NO, SOMEONE IS STAYING HERE! OOPS). It is along the Wind River, where you can see the fish hanging out, and we have no poles. No elec here so a night of battery lights and kibbie (yeah, I finally won 2-1). Enough zooming to get here, time to slow down and enjoy a location we've not seen before. Let's hope at least.
Diesel in Rollins Walmart for 5.48
Friday, Sept. 11 - Never Forget - Big Horn Mountains
**NEXT TIME: Make a trip with time at Thermopolis, Worland & Ten Sleep (Souix say this is mid-way between Y-stone and ___). Things to see & do, but they were not part of this plan - of continuous driving...
Sentiway, was a warm morning leaving that canyon, maybe 72º, as we drove north toward Thermopolis. All these towns were bigger and nicer that we expected, must come back, some dino museums, etc. Worland had a 9-11 service going on at a park as we plowed thru (big place), and Ten Sleeps was so green and cute I had to get a mug at Dirty Sally's Mercantile. Very clean here at the foot of the Big Horns, can only mean one thing: Mormons. Yep. Saw their church. The Big Horns look big! 13-ers, but driving into them was gradual with beautiful foothills and canyons, very pretty indeed. Drove Hwy 16 about halfway in and found a perfect forest svc spot #6 overlooking Meadowlark Lake. We wanted cool? We got it now - sunny but wind was blowing and it felt like in the 50s, time to change clothes. Stayed cool, we walked down to lake, then across the street to check out atv road we will bike tomorrow. Stayed in a lot, tired and grumpy -- getting a bit sick of no electric... you know, what is this, camping??? Anyway, no signal either to Starlink kept the podcasts and crochet hooks flipping. Oh yeah, I slipped on rocks on that atv road and landed on side of left thigh, that might leave a mark... carrying on. It was 55º in the trailer when I went to bed at 11.
Saturday, Sept. 12
Was 39º this am, but dang this Airstream-provided bedspread is very very warm, no worries there, plus a few layers. Today we will ride. Still on the anti-histamine diet so dining is no fun, neither is cooking in but we manage. He has his whisky, cookies and bread, no whining. That's my job.
----- updating a month later ----
154 (4) Wyoming, CO & Dakotas
Leadville (2), Encampment (1), Boysen Lake (1), Bighorns Meadowlark Lake (2), Buffalo (2), Forsythe (1), etc... tbc
Thursday, September 10
Cleaning house before we move on north. What can I say about Encampment except if you want to hear the sound of blowers lawn mowers and tractors and nothing else, this is the place to be. The coach next-door has the cutest little puppy I worried about it all morning cause I thought the woman went to work every day but I see she's here now so I can relax. I was gonna crawl through the window and play with it. Another day of 4 - 5 hours driving, from Encampment, 130 to Saratoga (what's with all the private jets at that tiny airport?), to Rawlins, 287 on west of Muddy Gap, thru Jeffrey City, the rest stop at Sweetwater Station (Oregon Trail rut area, but not for us today unless that is what I saw in the distance), and up 135 to Riverton, then on up more on 789 to the north end of Boysen Reservoir. Looks a lot like Page AZ here: barren with a large lake, but this one has plenty of water. Went to one of the cg's we've been to before, tho I had no memory until I saw it -- oh yes, the green park with the big trees and green grass. They say they water every day May - Sept. On the warm side (78º) when we arrived about 3-ish, changed into shorts and sat out in the shade of the big tree of the handicap spot we snagged for one night, #69. Camp less than half full and so quiet. This is the CG that also had about 3 cabins to rent and looked empty, no cars, so we walked up to peek in the window... is that cleaning supplies? NO, SOMEONE IS STAYING HERE! OOPS). It is along the Wind River, where you can see the fish hanging out, and we have no poles. No elec here so a night of battery lights and kibbie (yeah, I finally won 2-1). Enough zooming to get here, time to slow down and enjoy a location we've not seen before. Let's hope at least.
Diesel in Rollins Walmart for 5.48
Friday, Sept. 11 - Never Forget - Big Horn Mountains
**NEXT TIME: Make a trip with time at Thermopolis, Worland & Ten Sleep (Souix say this is mid-way between Y-stone and ___). Things to see & do, but they were not part of this plan - of continuous driving...
Sentiway, was a warm morning leaving that canyon, maybe 72º, as we drove north toward Thermopolis. All these towns were bigger and nicer that we expected, must come back, some dino museums, etc. Worland had a 9-11 service going on at a park as we plowed thru (big place), and Ten Sleeps was so green and cute I had to get a mug at Dirty Sally's Mercantile. Very clean here at the foot of the Big Horns, can only mean one thing: Mormons. Yep. Saw their church. The Big Horns look big! 13-ers, but driving into them was gradual with beautiful foothills and canyons, very pretty indeed. Drove Hwy 16 about halfway in and found a perfect forest svc spot #6 overlooking Meadowlark Lake. We wanted cool? We got it now - sunny but wind was blowing and it felt like in the 50s, time to change clothes. Stayed cool, we walked down to lake, then across the street to check out atv road we will bike tomorrow. Stayed in a lot, tired and grumpy -- getting a bit sick of no electric... you know, what is this, camping??? Anyway, no signal either to Starlink kept the podcasts and crochet hooks flipping. Oh yeah, I slipped on rocks on that atv road and landed on side of left thigh, that might leave a mark... carrying on. It was 55º in the trailer when I went to bed at 11.
Saturday, Sept. 12
Was 39º this am, but dang this Airstream-provided bedspread is very very warm, no worries there, plus a few layers. Today we will ride. Still on the anti-histamine diet so dining is no fun, neither is cooking in but we manage. He has his cookies and bread, no whining.
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** add to Friday:
Didn't feel like taking the bikes down, so instead we drove around to check out the area, including the other campground, which was pretty big and seemed to be favored by older ATV folks. Then checked out the "picnic" area -- geez WAY up and around the point of the lake, thru the thick trees, single lane and a drop off like I'd rather not look... reeeeeal steep - but I guess the trees would slow the slide... the kind I do not like, but sure enough plenty of cars from all over up there for the dam and a lake hike. Camp altitude is 8558 ft. Lost 2-1 at Kibbie.
Did go bike riding, first up the ATV road across the street but it turned out way too steep and rocky, so we turned around and went down the road to another campground, Sitting Bull, which *sat* next to a big beautiful meadow with another ATV trail, so we did that... until it turned steep and rockly once it went into the trees (talk about thick pines!). Ok, we will hike then. So we hiked all the way around Meadowlark Lake, sometime on a trail, sometimes on the shore, sometimes on an elk trail, sometimes crossing streams! Passed several fishermen (people) and met several interesting dogs, they are protective of their people here. That was about 4 miles, give or take. Got two families with kids next to us but they don't bother us, tho the music gets real loud when we leave (we could hear it from across the highway when we came back). Very pretty in the Bighorns. We should enjoy these green mtns, might get more desserty as we move on.
Sunday, Sept. 14 - Buffalo, WY
42º this am; 47º inside. Rooftop solars aren't getting much sun in all these trees so they are draining fast, but the suitcase solar helped some. Today we move on to Buffalo, only about 45 miles away. Hoping for a RV park in town with ELECTRIC, that would be nice. Need a break from 3 nights of battery light. Nice drive from lake to Buffalo, pretty scenery with temps gradually warming. First checked out Deer Park RV, decided against it and went to the KOA, $66 a night. Maybe low 80s once we settled in and windy as shit but sunny. I have decided it's time to try a pino grigio so we went to Crazy Woman liquors, stocked up and then walked around the very small and clean downtown hitting the antique shops that were open. Even tho town cg's seem to be full no one was downtown which was nice. Got a good look at Occidental Hotel (ok, the gift shop part), then drove around and ended up at the joke telling DJ grocery store. Came back and hung out, I did laundry, then we went back to the Occidental for diner and oh, lovely guitar and vocalist. Couldn't wait to get out of there cuz he never took a break and was too loud. Place was packed with tourist groups. Like the Strater. Back to trailer, had to run the a/c, kinda warm, wants to storm and did rain a little and I did 3 more loads of laundry. good, all one for the duration. We scouted the bike trail in hopes of a ride tomorrow, weather willing. But first, tour the WOOL MILL.
Monday, Sept. 14
About 53º this am, but very comfortable sleeping. Slow start, this electricity is FANTASTIC. Woke to sun (Bill did), but socked in gray clouds for me, but now at 10 am I am seeing some sun. Will it last?? I will let you know later.
Well it did and more and better: no wind. Buffalo wins for the cleanest, bum-free town ever. Just over 4400 people and not one begging, just lots of pickup trucks. So the big wool mill was great! Unfortunately ONE wool moth in the gift shop ruined my skein shopping, but got out with a T-shirt and cormo roving (it was in a bag). Met a funny local on the tour, her husband is running for mayor, hope he wins - they will keep this place nice and small and orderly! After the mill we went up the hill looking for the bass lake/wildlife area, and did find the location, but there was an old cabin and a buffalo statue. The mill is only a mile from the KOA so we came back for a bite to eat and found that we cloud pick up the Clear Creek Trail from here, so we did. 12 mile ride in all, the trail started on an old rail bed, went thru town then back west toward the Bighorn Mts., so we kept going and it looped back south toward the creek/river -- nice ride! It also went thru the old Fort Kinney, which is now a beautiful Soldiers and Sailors Home. Huge area, big trees, a great place to live out the years. Came back about 4pm, got in 2 quick outside games of Kibbie, and then dinner and the Emmys. Cool night, the weather couldn't have more perfect, about 65º for the bike ride. Very good.
Tuesday, Sept. 15 - Forsyth, MT
39º this am. Time to move on to not sure where exactly, but north, with a pass thru Sheridan (seeing only what else--Walmart and grocery) before entering Montana. Will be in Lewis and Clark area, better keep my peepers open for signs. Drove northward for about 4 hours through pretty land of southeast Montana, and a couple of reservations, Northern Cheyenne and Crow, because of the two wandering dogs on Main you know, ugh. Beautiful land tho, rolling hills and low mountains, just high enough, and lots of pines. Plan is to possibly go as far as Miles City, but seeing Forsyth along the interstate we stopped and looked and decided to stop there. They had a small campground outside of town along the wide Yellowstone River, no hookups, and +$10 for a Montana con$ervation license to camp (what?!), so heck with that, called the Fairgrounds, no answer, so on to the Wagonwheel RV on the south side of the highway, elec and water $30, done. New widow with Hitler cat ran it so I left Jojo Hitler with a crocheted binkie. Not sure the woman knew what to make of it but I hope the cat likes it. Anyway, went back to tour town (after Dawson the local waif asked Bill if he would play ball with him -- full house there by the way). Not much to see except make-up lady with everything from ice cream to furniture and kitchen and clothes in between where I got shampoo bar soap. Itching a bit... is that why? Hope not. So besides the BNSF trains, taverns and small casinos, that was about it for Forsyth, and they do love their High School team, the Dogies. Beautiful night, wish I stay outside more, but I never do once I make dinner and clean up. Old McDonald must have a farm right behind us, besides the feral kid, chickens were roaming all around, a big bunny, hear a goat or sheep and who knows what.
Wednesday, Sept. 16 - Fort Buford
Moving on, heading east-northeast for the N. Dakota border for Fort Union and Fort Buford. Wide open farmland, growing who knows what but I did see a lot of 🌽 . Perfect weather, cool enough for jeans, and one busy spot for road construction, where I was tempted to get out and pluck an ear of corn, but did not. Just then, farmer and tractor would have caught me. Not a lot of traffic and finally reached Fort Union, an old trading post from 1830s to 1850s ish, then the govt bought it and made it a fort, then moved it over to make Fort Buford which is where we are camped now. Very interesting history, the Metis, mix of european trappers and indian women make talented hunters basically. Also nearby is the state museum of the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, so Lewis and Clark DEFINITELY came through here. Great history. Picked a boondock camping spot all by ourselves and the small cactus - must be what Lewis and Clark complained about poking thru their moccasins) on Fort Buford property (also near the site of the first Masonic temple in North Dakota, BTW), so we are inbetween Fort Buford and the cemetery. Walked the confluence and the cemetery (was told all soldiers were reinterred but the indians and children remain here), but Bill gave up before walking the remains (rebuilt) of the old Fort site -- HEY, this is where Sitting Bull turned in his rifle! Red Cloud and other buddies were held here when they refused to go on a reservation! So I toured all the outsides after hours, then back to the dinner prep. Why am I always most tired after a day of just driving? Weird.
Thursday, Sept. 17 - Lost an hour yday crossing N. Dakota Line
37º this morning - Bill says it was sunny earlier but now we are socked in with fog. Not in any hurry to drive this 😳. 10 am - still foggy. Moving on toward Roosevelt Prez library thing today, can't get in until the 18th, geez. New muzem and everyone is at the ready. Had an unusually confused start to the route. Need to get fuel and he wanted to head west toward Sidney and I wanted to blaze new territory going east, so we split it down the middle with a Cenex in Cartwright, from which both routes said to head south from 200 to Hwy 1. Great, following alongs farms along the Yellowstone River, seeing cows play king of the hill... Until it turned to gravel. Nope, no way, Bill turned us around to backtrack to Cartwright and continue east to the official scenic route of Hwy 85 which goes straight south past the North Unit of the TR NP. The weather is improving little by little. Interesting scenery, however we were in the MIDDLE OF MAJOR MAJOR highway widening so were able to view it at a maddening 27 mph. Finally got to the interstate and headed west only 7 miles to the south unit and entrance. Our camp will be in Medora, west end of town, but perfect location. I would grow to hate that name... no particular reason except I could never remember it -- fedora? Was a local pioneer's German wife's name. Got set up in the pretty big Medora Campground, down the road from the brand spanking new 1883 Hotel which we would visit next day. Anyway, got the bikes down -- and oh yeah, I have a flat tire so he had to fix that -- and we took off in search of trails. After some false starts and a gate, we found the Maaa Daa Hey trail or whatever it's called, and rode the badlands among the cows, and a longhorn, right past the longhorn, glad he didn't care. Trail kept going up and up on a narrow edge, so we turned around and rode around the cute, clean and very small town, and also tried to ride to the museum, but that also was straight up a bluff and my partner refused (we could have done it). So then went to the Chateau Mores museum (like the confluence in Buford, state run $10) and watched their movie. Just left the bikes out front unlocked, it's that kind of town. As you can see the CG is in a great location. Came back, rode along the lkittle missiyr, made a delicious dinner, and early to bed. Tired on travels day, remember?
Friday, Sept. 18 - Medora morning
Theodore Roosevelt Museum today at 12:30, but first we will do the loop drive and see the buffalo! And see we did. Lots and lots. But first a long line just to get into the park. Park opened in 1978 but you would think it was this week. Took about 2 hours to do the loop cuz them lazy things laid in the road and wouldn't more for about 20 minutes. Once we got thru that it was smooth sailing, and of course my driver was more into driving than looking. No overlooks for us! Shoot out the window and keep it moving! Interesting landscape tho, but we only saw buffs and prairie dogs -- entire towns of them. Raced to town to T-shirt shop, no luck, quick change and off to the very busy museum. Found a parking space quick, ushered in like cattle, got our bracelets, and tired to figure what the hell is going on amidst 10,000 old people milling about. Cool museum tho. (Add more later)
Done by 3:30 so back to town planning early dinner and souvenir shopping, but holy shit do they know how to charge, $30 for a hat, and $30 for a T-shirt. Sale rack? Walked around and decided to eat on the balcony of the saloon, very good, then it was 4:55 so we rushed over to see TR's cabin and get a shirt at the park gift shop. Later in search of ice cream walked over to the brand new 1883 hotel where he
Saturday, Sept. 19 - Moving on south.
Woke up wet ground and about 58º, so def a tad warmer. Overcast, moving on today, prob more rain in store near Rushmore. Lots of prairie driving and some interesting scenery coming south out of North Dakota, in other words a good place for a podcast. But the cheap gas was at a place that also had food and so we tried some local rancher meat and boy it turned out to be worth it. Some ribeyes some skirt and some flank steak. Writing this in hindsight I wish we got more. So we crossed the border after Bowman into South Dakota on our way to Hill city It was a rainy drive down to Hill city we decided on after Bill had much trouble finding anyone to answer the phone for where to say. Turned out to be a great place in a great location but totally shitty weather and then they glommed on a lot of extra charges so he's not real happy about them. The other good thing is the camp is right on the Mickelson Trail but it would turn out the weather is so bad we never got to ride it I think we walked 20 feet of it. And by the way they charge you what in the world South Dakota. It just did not stop raining with Grace guys, no wind and no hail and no nothing just nonstop rain drizzle rain drizzle so we stayed in all night, which means spaghetti night which means we figured out what a cube steak is, helps if you read the label well it looked like ground beef... drove through deadwood to get here had to serpentine through town and did not stop it was raining and wet and Bill's not into casinos.
Sunday, September 20
We got flamingo today or as Bill called it a duck. It was one other airstream in this campground but they must've hit us on their way out.
Rain is still coming down still gray and foggy and shitty but it's the day to go see Rushmore so we did, in the rain. Fortunately the campground was only 9 miles at the most from the Rushmore but it was so bad I think we saw we could make out the figures briefly one or two times didn't hang around a lot very busy even though it's crappy weather. Didn't hang around very long came back and hit the weather not so great grocery store but better than Texas, came back to the trailer and as soon as it looked like a break in the weather we yeah we actually drove the half a mile if that to go walk the boulevard and do all the shitty shops I'm not being very nice about this place am I but anyway it was hard to find anything to buy except one F bomb charm. Lots of kind of biker things I'd say we actually saw the sun quite briefly and boy that felt warm and then it went back in for the duration. Came home and he grilled the steaks under the awning -- we thawed them and these were the roadside ribeyes we picked up in Bowman No Dakota or Nebraska. Anyway turned out to be really really good I wish we bought more we did get a couple other things so at least we did it we took a chance.
Monday, September 21 - Hill city to Fort Robinson
Interesting drive for this leg, stayed on 385 south, went through some towns I'd like more time in such as hot Springs and and Custer and wind Cave national Park, crappy weather we're just not stopping this time. Did see some buffalo near wind cave anyway old area and Hot Springs was full of veterans services after we took it from the Indians. The plan is to head for Chadron Nebraska for the museum of the fur trade, which we did, which was amazing. Spent a couple hours there you've never know what was in that building if you judged it by its cover. Really enjoyed that. Chadron was a rather bustling city and next time I wanna drive through it's green looking neighborhoods, but we did stop at Walmart and some nuts and vans from Minnesota wanted to see inside the trailer so we let her whatever that was about. And from there we went west to where we will stay at Fort Robinson, 22,000 acre State Park now that has had a long life and yet they don't tell you a whole lot but we went for the full hook up spot number 106. What do you know it isn't raining and it's partly cloudy partly sunny so we get those bikes down and road for a bit couple maybe maybe 6 miles around the fork and that's it. They do have the rail trail called the White River but it only was 3 miles to town and it was getting cooler so he said let's drive. So we drove to the town oh boy that was a disappointment except the city park has a marker for Red Cloud's treaty meeting 18...I forget 1867? 1876. Just sort of an old crumbling town not when I'd have to visit again oh that's called Crawford. So after Crawford's tour I don't even think we saw a restaurant, we wanted to go see the supposed invisible buffalo herd of the state park never saw one. But we did a little historical drive and found out that's where the Cheyenne outbreak was so that was pretty interesting and came back and had an indoor meal because it's a little cool out there.
Tuesday, September 22,
58°
I am dictating this as we drive from Fort Robinson South possibly to Brush, Colorado. The weather is going to be iffy everywhere so just sort of working on our way south toward Home. But guess what's on this road, brown sheep Company that's right more yarn because there's an outlet and that's what I'm talking about. Get on the road about 10 o'clock and soon find ourselves in fog fossil bed national monument in this trailer but some shit look at that. Is that grit? it's paved trailer we can leave it here. OK back on the road it's supposed to be rough weather so we're just sort of taking it a minute by minute. 60° right now and about 88% humidity. Well that was bullshit - after some departure fog the weather was perfect all day. West to Harrison, then south 4 hours to Brush (aw, dead small bird in truck grill). In Nebraska, so HAD to stop at Brown Sheep Wool outside Scottsbluff (got a cotton-wool blend to make a sweater, $5 per skein, seemed like a good price, they sell by the pound). Went over to the actual Scottsbluff, looked around the visitor center, then moved on. Warmed up a lot, now 86°; started out at 56. Camped at Brush's half full already city cg south of town, $25 a night elec and water. They seem to have fun with that name: Brush Fire Dept, Brush Hair salon, Brush Dentistry, and a senior care center next door to the cemetery. Warm but nice, hung out then drove around a bit and had mediocre Mexican at El Jacal in town (which means 2 blocks away). Not the greatest town during our minor drive around, farming and trucking. I am all tired today and last night so a few podcasts and to bed by 11:30.
Wed., Sept 23
63º this am in Brush, CO. One more stop and we are home. New eastern Colorado territory drive south, Hwy 71, 2 lane and narrow but good enough, straight down south. Interesting at first then open grassland the farther south we went, through the tiny towns of Woodrow, Last Chance, Limon (huge wind farm), Rocky Ford (farm stand, $7 for about 5 roasted chiles? Whaaat?), then change to Hwy 350 along parts of the original Santa Fe Trail, and on toward Trinidad, CO. Partly sunny changed to partly cloudy the more south we went. Where to camp? Tried for a place along the highway in Raton (that was a hell hole), $50 hole, so we kept moving on for 23 miles to Maxwell Wildlife in the rain. Much better except for the Chaco road for another 2 miles. The little lake had water and lots of birds/ducks. Spaghetti night as it always is when it rains... tomorrow we see Santa Fe! Always a great way to end a trip, home to Santa Fe. Rained lightly on and off for the night.
Thurs, Sept. 24
56º in the am, same as when I went to bed at 11. Not raining but 88% humidity and all gray skies. The rain will continue but that is good, because we had the driest summer ever. Let it rain. Time to organize the trailer for emptying and then drive it home, about 3 hours away. They say we get 4 inches of rain while we were away and next week there will be more from what's left of the Pacific hurricane Polo. Everything in the yard looks amazing like it's spring again, we don't water enough...
Things I haven't missed on this trip are windmills and begging bums on every corner... Welcome back to Colorado.
RIP: Peter Max, son of Cindy Crawford (Pressley)
